Always
by SwirlixCandy
Summary: "I love you." He said. I held out my hand to him and asked, "Always?" "Always." And he took my hand.


**ALWAYS**

 **DISCLAIMER:** I do not own "Detective Conan/Case Closed". It belongs to its rightful owners.

 _One good recommendation: Please listen to Angeline Quinto's "Till I Met You" and also "ALWAYS" by Yoon Mirae, for the English version, you can listen to it in Marianne Topacio's YouTube channel._

 **Summary:** "I love you." He said. I held out my hand to him and asked, "Always?" "Always." And he took my hand.

 **Pairing:** Heiji Hattori, Kazuha Toyama [HxK], KazuHei, HeiZuha. Call it whatever, they're cute. :3

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

 _ **Kazuha Toyama**_

 **1999**

"Dear, are you sure?" my mom asked, as she heard my decision. I nodded eagerly. She sighed. "If that's what you want, Kazu. Then, we will support you all the way." My dad said.

I had to thank them for that.

After that conversation, I talked to my friend—best friend from Tokyo, Ran on the phone. I told her about my decision and asked if I was sure. Of course, I told her, I am. Because I know, this is for the best.

"But Kazuha, I know you're doing this just to get over Heiji. From the bottom of your heart, I know, you still love him." Ran told me.

 _I know, Ran. Even though I love Heiji as more than a friend, he'd never love me that way. He'd always see me as his companion, his follower, his childhood friend. That's it._

 _I'll be getting away for a while. Don't worry, I'll be back._

* * *

 **Two days later…**

I refused to be accompanied by my parents in the airport, for it may cause suspicion from Heiji why they were not home. I told my parents not to say a single word to Heiji about me leaving. _As if he'd care, right?_ But still.

I was about to head to the gates when I heard someone calling my name. So, I stopped in my tracks as I recognized the voice. But it's impossible. I never asked anyone to accompany me. And besides, it's just my imagination. So, I resumed walking and made my way.

 _Goodbye is not the right word. So I'll say, see you again. See you again, Heiji._

* * *

 **Ten years later…**

So it has been ten years. I headed back to Japan with a friend of mine, Saguru Hakuba, for our respective dissertations.

The past ten years were like a blur. I have been busy with my academic work, but I never missed sending a letter to my parents. And of course, I did not forget about him, nor erased him completely. I broke my promise to myself that I'll let go of my feelings for him.

Because as the days, hours, minutes, and seconds have passed, my feelings for him just grew—until I realized that it was him all along.

 _Every day, I love him more each day._

It was already nighttime when we made it in our neighborhood. When I made our way to the house, two cars were parked nearby. I could recognize the first one. It was the Hattori's.

"Hey Kazuha, is something wrong?" Saugru asked. I shook my head in response and knocked on the front door. After two knocks, the door opened, revealing my father.

"Kazuha!"

"Otochan!"

I gave dad a hug, while Saguru helped me with my bags.

"Good evening, Toyama-san, I'm Saguru Hakoba, Kazuha's friend from medical school."

"Ah, nice to meet you, Saguru-kun."

Then, we joined everyone for dinner. Indeed, it was a perfect timing, Ran-chan, Kudo-kun were there too. Yes, Heiji and his parents were there too.

"So Kazuha, how was med school?" Heiji's mother asked. I smiled at the question. "Great. Saguru-san and I are both fellows in a hospital back in England. We're staying in Japan for a week for our respective dissertations." I replied. "Wow, impressive. So are you planning to work here?" Heiji's dad asked afterwards. I shrugged my shoulders. "I actually don't know. We've been given a great opportunity in England, but maybe, I'll consider working here, well wherever fate would lead me." I replied.

Then, Heiji's dad turned his attention to Saguru. "So, Saguru-kun, I thought you're studying Criminal Science in England?" he asked. "Nah, as much as I love being a detective, I also dreamt to be a doctor. That's why. I'm glad my Dad wasn't disappointed with my decision." Saguru replied, then took a sip of his water.

Then I spoke, "Ne, Heiji, Kudo-kun, you're still detectives, right?" the two looked at me. Heiji raising an eyebrow replied, "Yep, ahou, I'm a police detective here in Osaka. Kudo owns an agency." Kudo-kun nodded in agreement. "And, Ran-chan? How about you being a teacher?" I asked, turning my gaze to my friend from Tokyo. Said girl responded, "Ah, it's kind of stressful, I'm not as good as you with kids, but I still can manage."

The rest of the night were all laughs courtesy of our dads. It was a great thing that Heiji wasn't cold towards me.

Then, it was time for Saguru to head to the hotel he's currently checked in at. I was in the front yard with him.

"So, Kazuha, I'll see you tomorrow, alright?" he asked, his brown eyes twinkling. I nodded in response and said, "Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow Saguru." "Thanks for tonight." And what took me by surprise was when he hugged me and said, "I'll be waiting. You know that."

Once he let go, he gave me another glance and left.

I have to admit, Saguru-san's got the looks, the brains, almost everything. I am aware of what he feels for me, but I only see him just a friend. Even our classmates in med school told me to give him a chance, but I can't. And besides, he's not—

"Oh, so someone's waiting on you already?"

Hearing his voice made me froze. It has been a long time, Heiji Hattori. You ahou. You idiot. You baka.

I never thought that I'd fall in-love with you. I met you when we're kids, for our dads work at the same place. When we became close, I started to look up on you. I started to see you as the brother I never had. And as we grow up, I started to learn to love you, as more than a friend. But you never saw me that way. You see me as the nagging, sister-like figure to you. I was there when you had to solve cases ten years ago. And each day that I'm with you, I can't help but to love you more and more.

"Heiji." I said.

He stood beside me in the front yard his hands on both sides of his pants pockets.

"Ahou, you left me here. For ten years, you didn't write even a single letter! You never called. You were busy there." he began. Then suddenly, he stared at me with those piercing green eyes, and said, "Hell, I even remembered going after you in the airport and called your name and you didn't even turn."

So it was true. I wasn't imagining things. "H-how did you know where I was that time? I never told anyone about it except my parents." I told him. He said that he overheard my parents when he went here to look for me. I nodded, understanding him. "I'm sorry Heiji. I had to leave, because I know it was for the best. And I'm sorry for not telling you and everyone else."

Then his eyes suddenly lit up, as if he realized something. "Then how about some okonomiyaki for lunch tomorrow?" he suggested. I suddenly smiled. _Maybe this will turn out good after all._ "Alright then. I'll see you tomorrow then." Then, he took his leave.

The next day, I heard a sudden roar of a motorcycle while I was waiting for Heiji in the park. The motorcycle stopped near me.

"Hop in," he said, while offering another helmet. I wore it and sat behind him. I was waiting for him to start the engine, but he grabbed my wrists and wrapped it into his torso, while saying, "Ahou, you'd hold on to me, okay? You might fall." and I felt the warmth on my cheeks.

The okonomiyaki place hasn't changed at all after ten years. The owner still recognized me and Heiji after ten years. She told us, "It's been so long since you two last came here." Then, she followed with a question, "Are you two getting married? It has been ten years!" I almost choked on my okonomiyaki, while Heiji had to drink water.

I drank a glass of water and I said, "Nah, we're just friends. And besides, I will only stay here for the week, had to go back to England." I felt Heiji's stare at me, but I didn't pay attention to it. I just continued eating.

After lunch, we went to the other places we'd like to go when we were kids. I asked him why he took me to such places and he responded, "So that you'd never forget Japan before you leave on Saturday."

The next days were spent with Saguru-san for our dissertations. It was such a busy day, and without Heiji around, it just doesn't seem so fun. I guess he's busy dealing with cases. So, I kept myself busy with my dissertation.

Then I realized, I've only had one day and tomorrow, I'll be heading back to England with Saguru-san.

My parents had another dinner party for me, but Heiji did not show up. Oh, how I wish he was with me the past few days. Atleast I could've said goodbye to him properly.

When dinner party was over, I went to my room, freshened up, and sat on my bed. I thought of that very day with Heiji.

I have to admit, I have fallen deeply in-love with him. No matter how much I try to fight it, I couldn't. No matter how much I try myself to stop from loving him, it only grew.

 _Oh Heiji Hattori and the things you do to me._

Then suddenly, I heard a clunk on my window. I pushed the curtains open and saw Heiji throwing rocks on my window. I opened them and he started climbing the tree nearby, making his way in my room. When he got in, I yelled, "AHOU! You didn't go to the dinner party and didn't see me the past few days then you'd chuck rocks on my window? Ahou, you could've woken up Mom and Dad!"

But he did not respond. Instead, he hugged me.

"I love you Kazuha."

"Wait, what?" I asked, after hearing what he said.

He let go from the hug and said, "Damn it Kazuha! I just said 'I love you', you ahou!"

"Heiji… I, well. I actually do too. I always have." I said. I was at a loss for words and I pinched myself. Yes, this is real and not just a dream. Heiji just told me that he loves me.

"Sorry 'Zuha, I won't be there at the airport tomorrow to send you off."

 _Right Heiji, don't go there. I don't know if I could leave if you were there with me._

"So I am here. I wanted some time with you." He took my hand and we sat on my bed.

And the rest of the night were full of truths. I told him that I left so that I could let go of my feelings for him, but couldn't imagine myself doing it and ended up falling in-love with him more and more. And he told me that he felt the same way for me. He had always love me, as more than a friend. He was too dense to realize that. And he was glad he wasn't too late to tell me that.

I woke up at 4am, with a sleeping ahou beside me. I sat up to stroke his cheek and then kissed his forehead. _I love you. Always._ When I was about to get up, he held my hand and said, "I love you ahou."

Heiji left before my parents got up from bed. Though he wouldn't be there in the airport later, what happened last night was enough for me. And I felt myself smile again genuinely, after ten years.

A week has passed already. I decided to spend my day off in the park, watching the children play. Suddenly, a little boy with blonde hair approached me. "Hi Miss! Someone wants to give you this," he said, handing me a baseball cap. I accepted it and thanked him. When I was about to ask who it was from, he ran off to his friends.

I looked at the cap and examined it. I froze. Wait a minute, _SAX_? Only one person I knew could've own this.

I got up from my seat and looked around.

"Looking for me, eh?" someone asked me from behind. I froze at the voice. Again, this couldn't be happening.

The person held my waist and turned me around to face him. Heiji.

 _Now I'm seeing things, right?_

I poked his nose, to test my theory that this is not real. But I felt it. I felt the skin of his nose at my finger. He responded with a poke on my nose, a little hard, I might add, making me move a little backward. Then, he placed his cap on my head.

"Now ahou, are you still seeing things?" he asked. I gave him a smile. "Not anymore, ahou. But why did you follow me here?" I asked.

"Because I was offered a job in a detective agency here. And of course," he cupped my cheek with his hand, and said, "I came here for you." Then he kissed my lips.

The feeling of his lips on mine was something great. It was like two puzzle pieces that found its perfect match. It feels so…right.

When we pulled apart for air, we found ourselves smiling at each other. He removed his hand from my cheek.

"I love you." He said. I smiled and held out my hand to him and asked, "Always?"

"Always." And he took my hand in his, entwining our fingers.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

WOW! It was kind of sappy, and a bit OOC-ish. But please, R&R!

I have been enjoying watching Detective Conan/Case Closed and KazuHei makes it to my list of OTPs! :3 Anyway, please tell me your thoughts!

Thanks for reading!

~ SwirlixCandy


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